It may be August, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. Let’s face it…this summer in Toronto has been a bit of a bust weather-wise, which really makes me want to start buying fall clothes ASAP. Right now I am looking for chic pieces that can be worn on cooler summer days and through early fall and the below four trends will make it super easy to inject some effortless cool into my summer/fall wardrobe.

If any of the items below catch your eye, you can get an additional 15% off your first Shopbop purchase by shopping on the mobile app and using the special promo code APP15 (more details here). Happy Shopping!

1. Ruffles
As someone who’s not very girly, I am usually not into super frilly things, but this time around, I am loving how fresh ruffled tops feel, especially when paired with raw-hem denim or leather culottes.

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2. Fancy Footwear
This season’s hottest shoes are either on-purpose-ugly, all-white, or mules, so choose your poison (or perhaps all three!). I’ve been loving the simplicity of slides, and I am also starting to see the appeal of some of the clunkier heels too. These convertible shoes by JAGGAR are at the top of my list at the moment. None of the sex appeal, but comfort and cool appeal for days!

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3. Flares
After years and years of skinny jeans, our thighs can finally breathe a sigh of relief, because flares and culottes are in and are here to stay for another season or two. Whether you invest in a pair of Re/Done jeans or wear a pair of dramatic flares to the office, you can finally give your skinnies the boot (for now).

So excited right now!!! It was just officially announced that ERDEM x H&M Collection is hitting the stores on November 2nd, and I hope you are ready for line-up madness, because this collection looks LIT! Sorry, I don’t usually use words like “lit”, but I simply had to. A dreamy Baz Luhrmann teaser film was released today, and you can catch glimpses of the collection in it – the signature Erdem florals, a leopard print faux fur coat, printed silk PJs, pleats, and more. I can’t wait to see the lookbook and make my shopping wishlist…I anticipate that I’ll be adding a few party frocks (and that printed PJ set) to my closet come November.

The ERDEM x H&M collection will also mark the first time that the Canadian-born, London-based designer will be creating a menswear collection. “I’m so happy to collaborate with H&M, and to explore my work on a whole new scale including a menswear collection which I have never done before. It’s also such a thrill to work with Baz Luhrmann, on of the most important storytellers of our time”, says Erdem.

As a huge fan of Erdem Moralioglu and his designs, I am now super excited for November! Are you? Share in the comments.

I’ve been meaning to write about the CHANEL Cruise 2018 show for a few days now, but life and work got in the way…until now. Unlike many of the CHANEL resort shows, this year’s Modernity of Antiquity collection was presented in Paris instead of the destination which inspired the designs. But of course, that just meant that the Grand Palais was transformed into Karl’s vision of Ancient Greece, complete with weathered columns and crumbling rocks, sparse greenery, and a headless statue of Venus (a copy of Coco Chanel’s own statue that I was lucky to see at her rue Cambon apartment in Paris). The collection itself was both very true to the spirit of CHANEL, but with many subtle (and not to subtle) nods to its Hellenic inspirations.

The palette consisted of neutrals and blues, punctuated by pops of gold. It’s not my personal preference when it comes to clothing, but I did appreciate the intricate vine embroidery and vase-inspired prints. Traditional CHANEL tweeds were transformed into chic togas, strappy heels had Greek columns for heels, and plenty of covet-worthy jewels were on display – from dainty chokers to stacked cuffs and armbands. Standout accessories included a gold coin clutch, gilded laurel leaf sunglasses (NEED!!!), and statement belts, though my personal favourite was probably the metallic backpack in what appeared to be pleated leather. Just like with the CHANEL Cuba collection, I predict the CC logo t-shirt to become yet another best-seller, both wearable and so uniquely CHANEL.

What did you think about CHANEL Cruise 2018 collection? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Spring is officially here and it’s time to update your wardrobe for those warm days ahead, which is why Shopbop’s Event of the Season Sale could not have come at a better time! Until this Friday, get up to 25% off your purchase with promo code EVENT17…even sale items are included! And to help you narrow down your options, below are my top 5 must haves to add to your wardrobe this spring. From a comfy pair of fancy mules that add a little something to any outfit, to a pair of well-fitting jeans that show off your best assets, these items will serve you well for months (and years) to come!

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to put a rocket ship in the middle of the Grand Palais and still make it about fashion. With space as inspiration, the CHANEL Fall 2017 collection certainly left me star-struck. Astronaut, planet and constellation prints, moon and star jewelry, iridescent tweeds, and even textures imitating planetary surfaces were all part of the dreamy “Ground Control” collection. And while the majority of the pieces were created in a classic palette of black, silver and white, the dreamy midnight blue tweeds studded with beads and pearls (and reminiscent of starry skies), as well as metallic green leather pieces added the exciting pops of colour to the collection.

For me, the standout accessories included the adorable rocket minaudiere, the beautiful CHANEL SPACE constellation clutch, and the star and moon brooches and necklaces. It seems that backpacks are also firmly back as part of CHANEL’s regular offering, as several styles of backpacks were shown on the runway – larger and sportier than the classic quilted leather ones of prior seasons, so perfect for interstellar exploring or the more mundane air travel. Most models rocked various versions of the square-toed glitter boots on the runway, paired with the embellished wool headbands and Brigitte Bardot-inspired hairstyles – lending the show retro 60’s vibes…and perhaps a cheeky nod to the 60’s Space Race.

Scroll through the gallery below and let me know which pieces caught your eye, and whether you loved the stellar CHANEL Fall 2017 collection as much as I did.

If you’ve been patiently waiting for the “Data Center” CHANEL Spring/Summer 2017 collection to arrive in stores, today is the day…the pre-collection hits the stores! Which means we still have to wait until March for Spring/Summer 2017 collection to arrive. But you can still enjoy the colourful and playful ad campaign shot by Karl Lagerfeld, featuring that coveted (and adorable) robot minaudiere.

“The silhouettes combine striking pieces and an accumulation of pieces of fine jewellery. A silk jacket with a hypnotic print is embellished with sautoirs and necklaces in white or yellow gold, diamonds and multi-colour cultured pearls, and with rings and earrings in white gold and diamonds, from the Plume de CHANEL, Sous le signe du Lion, Camélia and Ruban collections. The high-tech aesthetic of two J12 watches in white ceramic completes the look.

A series of resin and silvery metal cuffs accessorise a patent leather jacket worn with the BOY CHANEL handbag, the iconic House handbag revisited here in a perforated white leather version. A fanny pack nonchalantly clashes with a multi-colour cotton tweed jacket and skirt ensemble worn with a yellow crêpe de chine blouse.”

I’m going to be popping into my local boutique today to check out some of the pieces from the pre-collection in person, but what I’m really excited about are those camellia sunnies, though if you had a chance to peruse the CHANEL app, you probably have seen the really cool jewelry from Spring/Summer 2017 pre-collection too. Being good is going to be very, VERY hard today.

What do you think of CHANEL Spring/Summer 2017 ad campaign? Share in the comments!

I know my last post was about CHANEL, but as soon as I saw these photos I knew I had to share them! Because these CHANEL Spring-Summer 2017 Eyewear Pre-Collection camellia sunglasses are ridiculously beautiful, and I need a pair (or two) in my life.

“The CHANEL Spring-Summer 2017 eyewear pre-collection is made up of two lines of sunglasses; while one focuses on an edgy and feminine version of the camellia, the other has fun with sporty, laid-back frames in pastels and neon tones.

In this new episode based around the camellia, the black and white nylon petals blossom around black or pink mirrored glass on cat eye frames. The temples in matte metal are punctuated with a double C.”

I missed out on the last highly-coveted pair of CHANEL sunnies (and I’m still not over it!), so this time, I’m on it! Of course, the camellia shades are not the only new styles arriving for pre-collection. The fun sporty pairs will be available in cheerful colours with transparent lenses (and kind of remind me of a pair I used to own back in the early 2000’s). Whichever style you’re interested in, the collection is supposed to arrive in stores sometime this month (January 2017); and you’d better call your SA to put your name down for a pair if you really want one (especially the camellia ones). I predict a lot of street style sightings of these sunnies come fashion month.

What do you think of CHANEL Spring-Summer 2017 Pre-Collection? Which pair would you splurge on?

“I decided early in the year not to wear any dresses to awards shows to be a gentle reminder to young girls and women that you’re not required one if you don’t want to, to really be yourself and that your worth is more than the dresses that you wear.” – Evan Rachel Wood

Not only did Evan Rachel Wood looked amazing at the Golden Globes, but she had a very positive message to share about her choice of outfit. What’s not to love? This year’s Golden Globes red carpet was actually pretty good – not too many boring outfits, a few that I didn’t love, but could appreciate, and these ten looks that I actually really enjoyed. Some more than others, like Emma Stone’s stunning Valentino gown – so appropriate for her La La Land role, almost too on the nose, but too beautiful to criticise.

Isabelle Huppert looked radiant in her powder blue gown; and she rocked that ear cuff too! Ruth Negga’s Louis Vuitton dress was futuristic perfection (and that hair!). Natalie Portman’s Jackie-inspired Prada look was very fitting and both interesting and flattering. And of course, Evan’s impeccably-cut suit was one of the highlights of this red carpet for me.

There were a few others in memorable gowns, like the beautiful see-through lace on Kerry Washington (Dolce and Gabbana) and Kristen Wiig, Claire Foy in a lovely sequined pink dress, and Kristen Bell (whom I love in The Good Place) in a sexy black gown with a plunging neckline. They all looked incredible, interesting, and stylish. As a bonus, I’ve added a photo of Millie Bobby Brown looking super cute at her first major awards show…because Stranger Things should’ve won something and Millie is adorable.

So there you have it, my top 10 Best Dressed from the 74th Golden Globes. Share your picks in the comments!

First things first…H&M CANADA ONLINE SHOPPING HAS FINALLY LAUNCHED!!! And if you sign up to be on the brand’s mailing list, you will receive 20% off your purchase and free shipping until Oct 30th! What this means for those who are looking to shop the KENZO x H&M collection? Well, you just got an alternative to lining up in the middle of the night. But don’t rely on online shopping as your only way of getting those coveted pieces – sites are known to crash due to high demand.

Now that I got that off my chest (seriously, I’ve been waiting for H&M online shop for AGES!), we can look at Elizabeth Olsen’s amazing KENZO x H&M getup. These two pajama-inspired pieces are at the top of my list, and I love how she styled them with a pair of velvet heels. So perfect. For those who have yet to embrace pajamas as daywear, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. It’s comfy and chic, and I am all about it. Obviously, Lupita Nyong’o also looks super gorgeous in that amazing printed dress, but in this instance, my eyes are permanently glued to Elizabeth Olsen’s outfit.

Are you excited about H&M Canada online shopping being available??? Do you love the pajama trend? Share in the comments!

If you’ve been looking for a perfect pair of black overalls – ones that won’t make you look like a plumber – your search is over, because this pair from Gap is amazing (and currently on sale!). Stretchy, with a slight kick flare, and a perfect length to show off your favourite boots – these overalls have it all, and I’m so glad I found them.

What do you think of the overalls trend? Would you wear them? Share in the comments.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…